1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bar code reader for reading and analyzing a bar code and its misreading detecting method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Accuracy of a bar code reader reading a bar code much depends on the quality of a bar code to be read, the accuracy of an optical system in a bar code reader reading a bar code, and the performance of decoding processing of a bar code reader. In these days, the optical system and the decoding processing of a bar code reader has been progressed technically. There is such a technique, by way of example, that the same bar code is read out at three positions, thereby to correct a reading error by comparison of the read results. The technical progress of the optical system and the decoding processing of a bar code reader can decrease the frequency of misreading a bar code.
However, occurrence of misreading a bar code much depends on the quality of the bar code itself. Even if enhancing the performance of the optical system and the accuracy of the decoding processing in a bar code reader, this will not necessarily serve to decrease the frequency of misreading a bar code.
Since the quality of a bar code is affected by the accuracy of a recording device for recording a bar code on a storing medium and the material of a storing medium, the bar codes are of uneven quality, and it is difficult to maintain the quality of the bar codes at a predetermined level and the more.
In order to improve the quality of a bar code, it is necessary for a maker of bar codes to improve the accuracy of the recording device for recording a bar code on a storing medium and the material of a storing medium. Further, in order to improve the optical system and the decoding processing of a bar code reader, it is necessary for a maker of the bar code readers to improve the accuracy of the optical system and the performance of the decoding processing of a bar code reader. Therefore, it is difficult to modify the misreading of a bar code immediately during the operation.
As mentioned above, the conventional bar code reader is difficult to improve the quality of a bar code and modify the optical system and the decoding processing of a bar code reader at an actual site of using a bar code reader. Further, there is a problem that it takes much time for a maker of bar codes and bar code readers to improve the quality of a bar code and modify the optical system and the decoding processing of a bar code reader.
An object of the present invention is to provide a bar code reader capable of coping with misreading of a bar code easily and quickly even during the operation.
According to the first aspect of the invention, a bar code reader having reading means for reading out a bar code, analyzing means for decoding the bar code read by the reading means into a numerical code, and data transfer means for transferring the numerical code to a host device, comprises
a misreading information table for registering a misreading code corresponding to a bar code having been converted into a mistaken numerical code in the past and a correct code corresponding to an original correct numerical code of the same bar code, and
misreading detecting means for detecting the misreading code in accord with the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means, from the misreading codes registered in the misreading information table, and supplying the detected result to the data transfer means.
In the preferred construction, the bar code reader further comprises connecting means for connecting the misreading information table to the misreading detecting means in a removable way.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting means transfers to a registration mode when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is a predetermined code for transferring the means to the registration mode for registering the misreading code and the correct code into the misreading information table.
In another preferred construction, the bar code reader further comprises connecting means for connecting the misreading information table to the misreading detecting means in a removable way, wherein
the misreading detecting means transfers to a registration mode when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is a predetermined code for transferring the means to the registration mode for registering the misreading code and the correct code into the misreading information table.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting means transfers to a registration mode when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is a predetermined code for transferring the means to the registration mode for registering the misreading code and the correct code into the misreading information table, and registers the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means into the misreading information table as the misreading code after transition to the registration mode.
In another preferred construction, the bar code reader further comprises connecting means for connecting the misreading information table to the misreading detecting means in a removable way, in which
the misreading detecting means transfers to a registration mode when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is a predetermined code for transferring the means to the registration mode for registering the misreading code and the correct code into the misreading information table, and registers the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means into the misreading information table as the misreading code after transition to the registration mode.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting means transfers to a registration mode when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is a predetermined code for transferring the means to the registration mode for registering the misreading code and the correct code into the misreading information table, and
the misreading detecting means includes a counter for subtracting one from a counter value every time of receiving the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means, combines together the numerical codes decoded by the analyzing means in the order of receiving until the counter value becomes 0 since the counter value of the counter is set, and registers the combined numerical codes into the misreading information table as the correct code.
In another preferred construction, the bar code reader further comprises connecting means for connecting the misreading information table to the misreading detecting means in a removable way, in which
the misreading detecting means transfers to a registration mode when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is a predetermined code for transferring the means to the registration mode for registering the misreading code and the correct code into the misreading information table, and
the misreading detecting means includes a counter for subtracting one from a counter value every time of receiving the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means, combines together the numerical codes decoded by the analyzing means in the order of receiving until the counter value becomes 0 since the counter value of the counter is set, and registers the combined numerical codes into the misreading information table as the correct code.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting means transfers to a registration mode when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is a predetermined code for transferring the means to the registration mode for registering the misreading code and the correct code into the misreading information table, registers the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means into the misreading information table as the misreading code after transition to the registration mode, includes a counter for subtracting one from a counter value every time of receiving the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means, combines together the numerical codes decoded by the analyzing means in the order of receiving until the counter value becomes 0 since the counter value of the counter is set, and registers the combined numerical codes into the misreading information table as the correct code.
In another preferred construction, the bar code reader further comprises connecting means for connecting the misreading information table to the misreading detecting means in a removable way, in which
the misreading detecting means transfers to a registration mode when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is a predetermined code for transferring the means to the registration mode for registering the misreading code and the correct code into the misreading information table, registers the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means into the misreading information table as the misreading code after transition to the registration mode, includes a counter for subtracting one from a counter value every time of receiving the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means, combines together the numerical codes decoded by the analyzing means in the order of receiving until the counter value becomes 0 since the counter value of the counter is set, and registers the combined numerical codes into the misreading information table as the correct code.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting means notifies occurrence of bar code misreading to the host device when detecting the misreading code in accord with the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means.
In another preferred construction, the bar code reader further comprises connecting means for connecting the misreading information table to the misreading detecting means in a removable way, in which
the misreading detecting means notifies occurrence of bar code misreading to the host device when detecting the misreading code in accord with the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting means transfers to a registration mode when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is a predetermined code for transferring the means to the registration mode for registering the misreading code and the correct code into the misreading information table, and notifies occurrence of bar code misreading to the host device when detecting the misreading code in accord with the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting means notifies occurrence of bar code misreading to the host device when detecting the misreading code in accord with the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means, and selects one of transfer methods of transferring only the correct code, transferring only the misreading code, and transferring both the correct code and the misreading code, as the transfer method of the detected result to be transferred to the host device by the data transfer means.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting means notifies occurrence of bar code misreading to the host device when detecting.the misreading code in accord with the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means, selects one of transfer methods of transferring only the correct code, transferring only the misreading code, and transferring both the correct code and the misreading code, as the transfer method of the detected result to be transferred to the host device by the data transfer means, and changes setting of the transfer method of the detected result to be supplied to the data transfer means, based on the content of a predetermined code for specifying the transfer method, when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is the predetermined code for specifying the transfer method.
According to the second aspect of the invention, a misreading detecting method for detecting misreading by a reading means in a bar code reader having the reading means for reading out a bar code, analyzing means for decoding the bar code read by the reading means into a numerical code, and data transfer means for transferring the numerical code to a host device, the method comprising the steps of
a step of registering a misreading code corresponding to a bar code having been converted into a mistaken numerical code in the past and a correct code corresponding to an original correct numerical code of the same bar code, into the misreading information table in advance, and
a step of detecting bar code misreading by retrieving the misreading code in accord with the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means.
In the preferred construction, the misreading detecting method comprises a step of transferring to a registration mode when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is a predetermined code for turning to the registration mode for registering the misreading code and the correct code into the misreading information table.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting method comprises a step of transferring to a registration mode when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is a predetermined code for turning to the registration mode for registering the misreading code and the correct code into the misreading information table, and a step of registering the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means into the misreading information table as the misreading code after transition to the registration mode.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting method comprises a step of transferring to a registration mode when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is a predetermined code for turning to the registration mode for registering the misreading code and the correct code into the misreading information table, and a step of combining together the numerical codes decoded by the analyzing means in the order of receiving until counter value becomes 0 since the counter value of a counter is set, the counter subtracting one from the counter value every time of receiving the numerical codes decoded by the analyzing means, and registering the combined numerical codes into the misreading information table as the correct code.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting method further comprises a step of setting the number of digits of numerical information in the vicinity of a misread bar code in the counter, making the reading means sequentially read out every numerical value of each digit of the numerical information, using a bar code indicating the numerical value of one digit from 0 to 9, combining together the read numerical codes in the order of reading out until the value of the counter becomes 0, and registering the combined numerical codes into the misreading information table as the correct code.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting method comprises a step of transferring to a registration mode when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is a predetermined code for turning to the registration mode for registering the misreading code and the correct code into the misreading information table, a step of registering the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means into the misreading information table as the misreading code after transition to the registration mode, and a step of combining together the numerical codes decoded by the analyzing means in the order of receiving until counter value becomes 0 since the counter value of a counter is set, the counter subtracting one from the counter value every time of receiving the numerical codes decoded by the analyzing means, and registering the combined numerical codes into the misreading information table as the correct code.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting method comprises a step of notifying occurrence of bar code misreading to the host device when detecting the misreading code in accord with the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting method comprises a step of notifying occurrence of misreading a bar code to the host device when detecting the misreading code in accord with the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means, and a step of selecting one of transfer methods of transferring only the correct code, transferring only the misreading code, and transferring both the correct code and the misreading code, as the transfer method of the detected result to be transferred to the host device by the data transfer means.
In another preferred construction, the misreading detecting method comprises a step of notifying occurrence of bar code misreading to the host device when detecting the misreading code in accord with the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means, a step of selecting one of transfer methods of transferring only the correct code, transferring only the misreading code, and transferring both the correct code and the misreading code, as the transfer method of the detected result to be transferred to the host device by the data transfer means, and a step of changing setting of the transfer method of the detected result to be supplied to the data transfer means, based on the content of a predetermined code for specifying the transfer method, when the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means is the predetermined code for specifying the transfer method.
According to another aspect of the invention, a computer readable memory storing a misreading detecting program for detecting misreading by reading means in a bar code reader having the reading means for reading out a bar code, analyzing means for decoding the bar code read by the reading means into a numerical code, and data transfer means for transferring the numerical code to a host device,
the misreading detecting program comprising
a step of registering a misreading code corresponding to a bar code having been converted into a mistaken numerical code in the past and a correct code corresponding to an original correct numerical code of the same bar code, into the misreading information table in advance, and
a step of detecting bar code misreading by retrieving the misreading code in accord with the numerical code decoded by the analyzing means.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the detailed description given herebelow.